Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 397 i Deals On Wheels Australia

Following what it says was extensive research involving several operators, lubrication equipment specialist Macnaught has unveiled its new grease gun, aptly titled the Powergun. Not surprising, Macnaught says the results of this research revealed a majority of operators view greasing as the worst part of servicing machinery. In short, this came down to effort, mess, awkward positions of many grease nipples, and the time it takes to grease all points. Then there’s the issue of air-operated grease guns leaving tangled airlines across workshop floors creating a trip hazard. Hence, the Macnaught Powergun high performance Li-ion grease gun. While battery operated grease guns are nothing new, Macnaught says the Powergun features the latest in Li-ion technology for longer battery life, ergonomic design for safe and ease of use and a flexible…

PFD Food Services, Australia’s largest privately-owned food distribution company, has decided to switch its entire fleet of distribution trucks from manual and automated manual transmission (AMT) gearboxes to Allison fully automatic transmissions. According to PFD national fleet manager Steve Wright the move to Allison Automatics came after he drove an Allison-equipped truck at a customer drive event at the Australian Automotive Research Centre’s Anglesea Proving Ground, the largest privately owned and independently operated automotive testing facility in Australia. “I have to say I came away impressed with the new generation of Allison transmissions and realised they were a much better option for our operations than manuals or AMTs,” Wright says. Wright’s hands-on experience convinced him that Allison fully automatic-equipped vehicles were easier to operate and required less training, a huge…

Fuso has received the final analysis from customer field trials with eight Fuso Canter E-Cells in Portugal. All eight vehicles travelled the roads of Portugal and were permanently monitored and analysed during the one-year field trial. The Canter E-Cell trucks were equipped with platforms and box bodies. They were operated by couriers and freight forwarding agents as well as by municipalities and public works departments. On average, the electric Canter trucks travelled 50km a day, but ranges of up to 109km were achieved in practice. Fuso says all in all the eight vehicles travelled 51,500km without any problems. The most used Canter E-Cell was in service with Transporta parcel service company, completing a distance of over 14,000km during the one-year trial. The range of the lithium-ion batteries stabilised at 100km…

The bespoke truck features a luxury leisure deck, gold-thread embroidery, a golden tiger hood ornament from Wallace Bishop and a specially-designed sleeper unit 80 per cent larger than standard with imported South African leather upholstery. Mack Trucks Australia says the price tag for the extravagant truck is a secret, but “it’s certainly the highest ever for a Mack truck, easily smashing the previous record of $481,000 for a customised United States-built rig.” Built at Mack’s Wacol factory in Brisbane, sultan Ibrahim Ismail’s Super-Liner is designed to lug his private powerboat around Malaysia. The design for the truck began over a year ago, Mack says, with its vice-president Dean Bestwick meeting the Sultan in Singapore. “We’d never contemplated the features that have been included in His Majesty’s truck,” he says. “This…

For 28 years the trucking fraternity has cultivated its prize rigs into show condition in support of charity. Each year over 200 of Australia’s finest trucks gather at the Museum of Fire for Australia’s premier Working Truck Show, with all funds directed towards saving our families from the dangers of fire while preserving the heritage of our community’s bravest. The unique feature of the show is that each truck must be a working truck and not just a showpiece or collector’s item. Each truck is entered into one or more of 25 different categories to compete for trophies for the best in each class. Drivers spend hours cleaning and polishing their prize possession in an attempt at being declared the best truck in their class. The award of a trophy…

Tomazos Transport has praised the Navman Wireless GPS fleet tracking system for being instrumental in its winning of the Institute of Quarrying Australia’s 2015 Caterpillar Continuous Improvement Award. Announced on October 16, the award recognises the improvement and evolution of an Australian business through structured and measured continuous improvements. Tomazos’ transport and logistics operations manager Keith Joy says the Navman Wireless system has resulted in significant costs savings for the transport company. “Since the installation we have utilised the programs to cut costs, increase fleet efficiency, communicate with drivers, prolong the life of vehicle parts, promote good driver behaviour, and track [workplace health and safety] and fatigue management,” Joy says. “Not only have we reduced our insurance premiums by 52 per cent, we also have cut our fuel usage by…

Of the many things that impress regional New South Wales truck operator Kevin Munro about his Cat CT630 model, it’s actually the monthly fuel bill which impresses most. Not because he enjoys paying fuel bills, but simply because the bills are so much better than before. “From the day the Cat started work, our monthly fuel bills have been at least $500 less than the cab-over we ran before,” Kevin says. “That’s an incredible saving in a business like ours. “When we first bought the Cat I thought we might be a little better on fuel but I never imagined it would be this much better. “On top of that, the Cat’s half a tonne lighter.” Based in the central NSW city of Dubbo, Kevin and wife Lea own and…

Scania says it is boosting productivity for distribution operators with the P-series 8x2 Twin Steer curtain-sider that permits an additional 5,000kg of payload to be carried in a 9.1m body, compared with a traditional 6x2 configuration. The 8x2 Twin Steer claims to provide the added benefit of removing worries of front axle overloading or diminishing load imbalances. According to Scania, total payload is now 13,900kg, with space for 14-pallets and a pallet jack on board, which is aimed at enhancing productivity for operators who are often paid by weight delivered, and who may now transport heavier loads per shift. In addition, Scania on-board scales offer a digital read-out on the dashboard so drivers can tell instantly how much weight they have over each of the four axles, reducing the chance…

THE INTELLIGENT TRUCK ALTHOUGH WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR RELIABILITY AND UNMATCHED RANGE, ISUZU TRUCKS ARE ALSO A BRAINY BUNCH.SO IF YOU’RE IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW TRUCK, ONE OF THE SMARTEST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS PUT ISUZU AT THE TOP OF YOUR SHOPPING LIST. BECAUSE ONCE YOU SEE ALL THE CLEVER THINKING THAT GOES INTO EACH ISUZU, YOU’LL SEE THAT INTELLIGENCE IS A FAMILY TRAIT. For example, every Isuzu comes equipped with a DAVE (Digital Audio Visual Equipment) unit, featuring MP3/CD/DVD, video playback, digital radio (including live recording), and hands-free Bluetooth – you can also opt for a GPS upgrade*. And DAVE is Telematics ready so you can add the option of automatically tracking* the truck and the driver in real-time. If you spend all day in your…